Breast pad structure



May 27, 1952 A. G. LEO Erm.

BREAST PAD STRUCTURE Filed June 29, 195o .IN V EN TOR` 5090158. yms/QPatented May 27, `1952 OFFICE 2,598,003 BREAST rAn STRUCTURE Arnold G.

Leo and VTheodore BfTninke'r,

New York, N. Y.

Application Jun-e 29, 1950, seriarNo. 171,150

(CL2-42)k '1 This invention relates to breast pads or like breastsimulating structures which are constructed to be used in connectionwith brassires, in particular with brassires devoid of shoulder straps.

It is one of the main features of this invention to provide meansresulting in breast pads of the above nature which may be made fromplastics and similar composite material and which conform very closelyto the natural form and conditions of a ladys breast.

It is another object of the present invention to provide `meansaffording the insertion of the breast pad in a so-called straplessbrassire, which without resorting to any wire reinforcement as nowgenerally used, coacts with a reinforcement brought about by theparticular shape and structure of the novel breast pad. Itis stillanother object of the present invention to provide means facilitatinginexpensive manufacture of eiiicient breast pad structures havingpredetermined volume land size, the latter being somewhat regulatabledue to the inflation of the breast pad with air or other suitable fluid.Y

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide meansrendering the possibility of generally employing the breast padstructure as a prosthetic devicev which replaces those heretofore usedand made to order.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provideV meansensuring the creation of breast pad structures containing apredetermined quantity of air or like fluid and permitting themovability of the front wall of the breast pad relatively to the rearwall thereof, the latter terminating in a reinforced relatively stiffrim adapted for engagement preferably with a strapless"b rassir=.. l

Still a further object of the present invention is toprovide meansfacilitating the assembly of the breast pad structures of the aforesaidnature with a brassire, whereby the latter is maine tained in operativeposition by said breast pads and for ready removal of the latter fromsaid brassire.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will behereinafter more fully described and the vcombination and arrangement ofparts will be shownin the accompanying drawing and pointedout. in theclaims which formpart of the specication. 1

Fig. `1Y is a rearview of a strapless brassire, parts thereof beingbroken away.

5 Claims.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line 2 -2 ofFig. l.v

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the right hand corner of Fig.2. I

Fig. 4 Ashows ona somewhat reduced scale a sectional 'View of Aa breastpady made in accordance with this invention but somewhat modified with`respect to the breast pad shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in section of the left hand corner of thebreast pad illustrated in Fig. 4.

Referring now more particularly to the ernbodiment of the inventionshown in Figs. 1 to 3, there is disclosed a brassire 60 of the typewhich is devoid of any shoulder straps. This brassire has the lateralstretchable or elastic portions 6 l, 62; the relatively rigid ornon-stretchable lower or bandeau portion 63 and the median portion 64,which may preferably be made from elastic fabric material. Y

Cups 65,` 66 are defined by suitable binding 6l which retains inposition by stitches 61a a piece of net material 68 forming the frontwall of each Cup 65,V 66. Each cup has further a rear wall 68dofrelatively wide mesh fabric, such as tullelike net material which isalso held and Xed in position by stitches 61a and binding 6l but for alateralend opening 69 provided in the outer ends of the respective cups65, B6. These open ends are closable by suitable fas-tener means l5,

'l1 as will beexplained further below.

Through these open ends may be introduced the breast; pads 'Ill ofpredetermined size and containingv a predetermined volume 'II of air orsimilar fluid. -These breast pads 10 are made of preferably transparentplastic material of which theV rearwall "I2 i's'preshaped and preferablyconvex and relatively rigid, whereas the front wall 'I3 is flexible andpliable. Sheet material of vinyl chloride acetate plastics, Vinylacetate resins, and similar plastic compositions may be employed for themore rigid rear wall 'l2 and the yieldable and pliable front wall 13,which are electronically heat sealed or otherwise bonded alongthemarginalor peripheral rim 'Mat which the outer edges ofrear wallV T2 andof front wall 13 meet.

Since rim 14 is thus reinforced and rather rigid and, rim 14 whenpositioned for contact with the adjacent inner faces of the edges ofouter and inner tulle or fabric walls 68, 68a. (Figs. `2, 3) replacesthe wire or bones heretofore employed to maintain cups`65, 66 inextended and taut conditiorL m fi It will be observedfrom'fthe righthand side of Fig. l that the outer end of rear wall 63a forms a flap68h, which, in the present instance, has a plurality of snap fasteners76 adapted to engage complementary fasteners 'il whereby end opening 69may be closed. Any known and suitable velvet finishing strip or trimmingmay be used to avoid any contact of the snap fastener means with theskin of the wearer. It is also contemplated to reduce the opening 69 toa minimum and close same by a corresponding smaller flap 6th which isdevoid of any fastener or securing means.

In the latter case flap 68h may be basted to the binding 61. The rearwall 63a may be otherwise glued temporarily or permanently connected tothe curved and relatively stiff rear wall 12, if desired.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 a portion of the binding 61 enga-gesby means of a male fastener 'il the socket of the female fastener 16whereby flap B817 is fixed in position to retain pad Hl in its positionat the closable end 6%.

Fig. 4 shows a pad Sli of predetermined shape having the pliable frontwall 8l and Ythe relatively stiff rear wall 82. A predetermined volume83 of air or other suitable fluid is defined by the walls 8l, 82. Inthis particular instance and as more clearly shown in Fig. 5 theflexible wall 8l is folded ,over the end 82a of wall 82 and is heatsealed thereto or otherwise bonded at 81a. Thus, a reinforced rim 85 isobtained which is shaped for the insertion into a suitable spaceprovided within the binding 6?, to thereby hold the respective cup ofthe brassire in taut condition, as more specincally referred to in theembodiment shown in Fig. 2.

it is well understood that the pre-shaped and pre-inflated pad 8G withthe relatively stiff wall B2 and relatively yieldable front wall 8l maybe made of any suitable plastic material or plastic composition ashereinabove referred to and that,

if desired, a suitable valve (not shown) may be employed to furtherinflate and to increase or decrease volume or space 83.

Since front wall 8l is relatively movable and pliable with respect torear wall 82 it will be recognized that the pad made in accordance withthis invention permits very close conformity of the breast pad to thenatural form and conditions of a ladys breast.

Upon the insertion of the breast pad, according to the invention, in a.brassire (whether strapless or not) circulation of air between the skinof the wearer and the wide mesh rear wall may readily be afforded (forexample, by suitably spacing fabric rear walld from plastic rear wall'12). Retainment of the breast pads in their position within the cupsmay be achieved by wedging and frictional engagement of the reinforcedrims M or 85, with the opposite inner faces of the fabric front wall andrear wall, which denne a predetermined space therebetween, the latterextending lengthwise of said fabric walls at said binding with whichsaid fabric front and rear walls are connected.

If the fabric rear wall is made from a material having pinkish color,such rear wall will afford to the thus assembled brassire a more naturalappearance.

Rear wall .58ct instead of being glued or otherwise temporarily orpermanently connected to the outwardly curved and relatively stiff rearwall l2 may be cut on a bias so as to approximately conform to rearwall'i2 but being nevertheless sufficiently spaced therefrom to afford aircirculation, as mentioned hereinabove.

1t is well understood that the rear wall 12 or 82 may be tinted inpinkish color, whereas the front wall 'I3 or 8l is translucent ortransparent.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided according to theinvention a closed airinflated body of plastic sheet material, whichbody has a relatively thin front Wall and relatively stiff rear wallpreferably made from one and the same material, each wall terminating ina circumferential edge, said walls being heat-sealed or otherwise bondedto and upon each other along the circumferential edges thereof, whichare substantially coextensive, to thereby provide an end rim, said frontwall extending from said rim and being spaced from said rear wall andforwardly of the latter, whereby said front wall may be moved relativelyto said rear wall.

While two embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, itwill be easily'understood that the same is capable of modificationwithout departure from the general scope and spirit of the invention asdefined in the claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. A breast pad structure for use in a brassire cup comprising afluid-inflated body made of plastic sheet material and having arelatively thin front wall and rear wall, each wall terminating in acircumferential edge, said walls being bonded to and upon each otheralong the circumferential edges thereof to thereby provide a reinforcedend rim, said rear wall being relatively stiff and preshaped to extendforwardly of said rim, said front wallextending from said rim and beingspaced from the latter and forwardly of the rear Wall, said front wallbeing movable relative to said rear wall, said rim being shaped inoutward direction beyond the remainder of said walls for engagementwithin the cup of a brassire to maintain said cup in substantially tautcondition.

2. A structure according to claim 1, wherein the edge of one of saidwalls is folded over the edge of the other of said walls and bondedthereto to thereby obtain a reinforcement of said rim.

3. `The combination, in a brassire, of a fluidinflated breast pad, witha cup forming a part of said brassire and provided with retaining meansengageable with said breast pad, said breast pad including a relativelythin and pliable front wall and a rear wall each terminating in acircumfer- .ential edge, said walls being bonded to each other insuperposed position along the circumferential edges of Said walls tothereby provide a reinforced laminated rim, said rear wall being made ofplastic material which is relatively stiff and preshaped to extendforwardly of said rim, said front wall being made of plastic materialextending from said rim and being spaced from said rear wall in forwarddirection of the latter whereby said front wall may be moved relativelyto the rear wall, said laminated rim of said pad being shaped forengagement with said retaining means to maintain said cup in'substantially taut condition.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said retaining meansconsists of a fabric front wall against which said front wall of saidpad abuts and a fabric rear wall positioned rearwardly of said pad, saidfabric front wall and said fabric rear wall being joined together butforming a space at the location ofthe junction, whereby said laminatedrim may be positioned within said space and to be retained therein.

5. A breast pad structure for use in a brassire 5 cup having aperipheral portion; comprising an inflatable body `fabricated of plasticsheet material and including front and rear Walls each terminating in amarginal edge, said walls being bonded at their marginal edges insuperposed position to provide an air-impervious sealed space betweensaid walls to receive therein an inflating medium and to attain areinforced marginal rim having a thickness considerably larger than thatof either wall, said rim being engageable with the peripheral portion ofsaid cup for maintaining the latter in substantially taut condition,said rear wallsbeing preshaped to extend forwardly of said reinforcedmarginal rim, said front wall extending from said reinforced marginalrim and being spaced forwardly of the latter and of said rear wall,whereby said walls are mov- 6 able relative to each other, said frontwall being shaped to form an outwardly curved surface simulating thecontour of a breast of predetermined size and shape. y

ARNOLD G. LEO. THEODORE B. TINKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the `10 le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

